Existing automatic bobbin-changing is used in, among other things, the weaving of endless felts, in which weaving use is made of shuttles which carry the weft yarn wound on a bobbin. The amount of thread wound on is sufficient only for 3 to 5 minutes of continuous weaving, and then the weaving machine has to be stopped and the empty bobbin has to be changed manually. This type of weaving means that each weaving machine has to be manned, otherwise the waiting time for bobbin changing may be too long if one and the same weaver is expected to attend to several weaving machines. This results either in high costs, caused by having one weaver per machine, or in a low efficiency, when one weaver is expected to attend to several machines, and both these alternatives are unfavorable with respect to production.
It is known to make use of so-called automatic bobbin changers which are offered for sale on the market. A possible example of these known bobbin changers is the bobbin changer sold on the market by the brand name Jurgens, Emsdetten, Germany.
The solutions which have been proposed in connection with the known automatic bobbin changers have serious disadvantages. Among other things, each bobbin is changed at the level of the shuttle race, which means that, in order to make room for the mechanics, the maximum weaving width of the weaving machine has to be reduced, or the side of the weaving machine has to be extended to provide room for the automatic bobbin changer. Such reductions of the maximum weaving width in most cases represent an unacceptable alternative. In many of the present day weaving mills, extensions to the weaving machine are quite impossible due to lack of space. The invention aims to solve these problems, among others.
In cases where automatic bobbin changers are used, it is important to be able to retain the existing functions of the weaving machine. Thus, for example, the spaces around the machine must not be limited to the extent that restrictions are placed on the drawing-in position of the machine. In such a drawing-in position, it will be possible to load the weaving machine for starting up a new weave. The invention also solves this problem.
It is also important to maintain the safety aspects of the weaving machine despite the introduction of the automatic bobbin-changing function. Thus, there must be no possibility of any danger arising when, for example, loading bobbins into the bobbin magazine of the automatic device while the weaving machine is running. The invention aims to solve this problem too.
It should be possible to use the automatic bobbin changer devices as additional equipment on already existing machines. The present invention solves this problem. In this respect, it will be possible to carry out so-called manual weaving despite the introduction or integration of the automatic device with the weaving machine functions. The present invention solves this problem too.
On account of the different space availabilities, there is a desire that it should be possible to apply the additional function of automatic bobbin changing on any chosen side of the machine, that is, either on the left-hand side or the right-hand side of the machine. The present invention solves this problem, too.
The automatic bobbin changer device should be able to work with a large number of bobbins, for example up to 40 bobbins, which gives approximately 3 working hours. In addition, it should be possible for the bobbin changer to have a simple constructional design and be built onto, or integrated with, existing weaving machines, newly produced weaving machines, or weaving machines which are in production. The present invention solves this problem, too.